Snow and ice has caused accidents to soar causing £17million of damage over the space of four days, reports the AA.

Drivers need to, however, remain diligent in their preparation before setting off.

Driving on snow and ice is not only a safety issue and dangerous but not can attract host of fines and punishments.

Failing to leave enough time in the morning to defrost their car which can lead to a flurry of fines, invalidated insurance and see your vehicle get stolen.

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Under section 229 of the Highway Code it outlines how drivers should prepare their car before they set off after adverse weather conditions.

“You MUST be able to see, so clear all snow and ice from all your windows.

“Remove all snow that might fall off into the path of other road users.”

It is a legal requirement for drivers to be able to see clearly out of every window in their car and also have the mirrors, lights and number plate clear of snow.

In addition to this failing to clear all the snow on the roof of your car can lead to a fine of up to £60 and penalise you with there penalty points.

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Swearing at other drivers

This fine could rise to £100 if it interferes with other road users and drivers can be charged for driving without reasonable consideration.

Leaving your engine parked on a public road with the engine running is also an offence.

It violates regulations Rule 123 of the Highway Code which states “You MUST NOT leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road.”

Drivers flouting this rule can land a penalty fine of £20, which can increase to £40 if it is not paid within a specific time frame.

If a motorist leaves their car unattended with the engine running it can increase the risk of it being stolen as well as invalidating car insurance.

Here are the top five ways you can defrost your car’s windscreen to save time and money:

1. De-icer and scraper

De-icer will slowly defrost the ice on your windscreen and is a cheap product to buy, that is worth having in your car at all times.

Use in conjunction with a scraper and you should be able to shift the ice in no time.

2. Solution

Meteorologist Ken Weather devised a solution using rubbing alcohol and water that is said to be an instant and effective remover of ice.

Mr Weathers says to make the solution you need to mix 1/3 cup of water with 2/3 cup of rubbing alcohol.

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If a drivers doesn’t completely clear the ice from their windscreen they could land a fine

3. Four step method

An ex-NASA engineers Mark Rober uploaded a video to YouTube which allows drivers to defog their windows “twice as fast using the power of science.”

This is the four step plan:

Step one: Turn your heater on full blast – Hot air can hold more moisture

Step two: Turn air conditioning on – This pulls moisture out of the air

Step three: Turn inside circulation off – winter air doesn’t have much absorption

Step four: Wind the windows down slightly – This will exchange humid air inside for dry air outside.

Snow drift pictures LIVE: Latest pics of snow drifts across UK

Fri, March 2, 2018

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Snow Drifts around the village of Harvel in Kent have completely blocked the village

4. Hot water, but not too hot

If you don’t have any deicer or rubbing alcohol to hand you could use warm water to help speed up the thawing process.

However, make sure the water isn’t too hot or boiling as it could cause the glass to crack or break.

5. Prevent it the night before

One of the best ways to stop your car’s windscreen from freezing over is preparing for it the night before.

All weather windscreens can be purchased for less than £10 and protects your car’s windscreen from freezing in the winter and defects rays in the summertime.

These covers are simple to apply and can save you time in the morning.